Process of manufacturing gaseous fuel.



1. R. ROSE.

PROCESS'OF MANUFACTURING GASEOUS FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED IIAYIS. 1916.

LQUI6 Patented Ian. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

l. H. ROSE.

4 Il l] J 115 `9 Ile. J0

PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING GASEOUS FUEL.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY19.19|6.

Patented. Jan. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'JAMES R. .ROSE UF EDGEWORTH, PENNSYLVANA.

PROCESS 0F MANUFACT'URNG GSEOUS FUEL.

Lacasse.

Original application led November 29, 1915, Serial No Specication ofLetters liatent.

Patented Jian, 22, i913,

. 64,100. Divided and this application tiled 'ilIay 10,

1916. Serial No. 9&552.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES R. ROSE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Edgeworth, in the county of Allegheny and.- State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inProcesscs of Manufacturing Gaseous Fuel, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a process of manufacturing gaseous fuel, andmore particularly to the production of a gaseous fuel to which I havelapplied the name carbohydrogen and which is particularly adapted'for usein connection with the cutting and welding art. lt is the general objectof the invention to produce a gaseous fuel which will be of a high-heating value but which 'will require for its combustion a minimumquantity of oxygen whereby cutting, for instance, may be accomplishedwith a great saving in the expense of the oxygen required and with aneiiiciencyat least equal to that obtained with the use of acetylene andother gases requiring for their combustion a large quantity of oxygen.Obviously the use of a gas of the kind which it is the object of thisinvention to produce will result in a large saving of expense in thecutting and welding art.

A further object of the invention is to produce a combustible fiuid ofthe character referred to in a particularly ehcient and economicalmanner.

Further and more generally stated, the invention may be defined asconsisting of the gas, and the combinations of steps involved in theproduction thereof, embodied in the claims forming part hereof.

As is well known, ordinary illuminating gas has approximately thefollowing composition:

Hydrogen Carbon monoxid Hydrocarbon of the general formula CRHM, 15%

Also, as is well known, natural gas is principally methane, having the`formula (3l-I4. While either the artificial or the natural gas may beused. for cuttin or welding purposes, the relatively higpropormaintained at a temperature of about 2200O F. and natural gas isused. the resultant gas will contain approximately 85% of hydrogen, 10%of a gas of the CH, series, and 5% of a gas of the Cell-l series. Byincreasing the temperature of the refractory lining, the proportion ofhydrogen will be in* creased. and the proportion of the hydrocarbon gasconstituents will be decreased un til, at about 3000O F., the resultantgas will contain hydrogen in approximately the proportion of 98% and 2%of the aforesaid hydrocarbons. The gas such as is produced at the lowertemperature and having substantially the proportions of hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas set forth is particularly etlicient for cutting andwelding with oxygen and is the gas referred to hereinbefore and sold tothe trade under the name of carbohydrogen. A gas having the higherproportion of hydrogen and the lower proportion of hydrocarbon, producedat the maximum temperature, is particularly useful for burning lead.

ln the drawings forming a part hereof l have illustrated a form ofapparatus which is particularly well adapted for producing the gaslreferred tovhereinbefore, this apparatus forming the subject matter ofmy application #64,100, filed Nov. 29, 1915, of which application thepresent application is a division. In these drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view through an apparatus capable ofrealizing the process of producing my gaseous fuel, said sectioncorresponding to the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a view, partly insection and partly in plan, of the ap aratus shown in Fi 1, the sectionbeing ta en just above the pipe 8: and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail,

partly in section and partly in elevation, of therl connections forsupplying fluids to the bottom of the apparatus.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated in thedrawings, 1 denotes the outer shell and 2 the refractory lining andfiller of a generator, which generator is shown as cylindrical. Thisrefractory lining and filler may be of any suitable well known material,and the generator is so constructed as to provide a front fille 3 and arear -flue 4 communicating at their upper ends by a transversepassageway 5. Refractory material 2 is arranged in checken workformation within the fiues 3 and 4 as well as in a chamber 3a projectingfrom the bottom of the flue 3, said chamber being adapted to receive anenriching fluid in a manner to be described hereinafter.

it 4will be Observed that the bottoms of um flues 3 and 4 and thechamber 3a, are located a distance above the bottom of the generatorbody, whereby an ample thickness of refractory material 2b is providedbelow such chambers.

6 denotes a partition, preferably of sheet steel, extending transverselyacross the generator between the flue 3 and chamber 3a and the flue 4and extending from the bottom of the generator upwardly to a distancebelow the top of the refractory dividing wall 2c. This partitionprevents seepage of gases from the flue on one side thereof to the flueon the opposite side thereof. 7 denotes a chamber extending upwardlyfrom the inneror rear end of the chamber 3, preferably substantially ashigh as the partition 6,

and having in the upper portion thereof a spray pipe 8.

9 denotes an inlet connection pipe communicating with the front orcharging wall of the generator 1 and discharging into the bottom of theflue 3. This connection is provided at its outer end with a gate valve10 and is extended, as indicated at 9, to a suitable air blower (notshown). 11 denotes a nozzle through which a suitable preheating fluid(such as gas, or liquid hydrocarbon) mixed with air (if desired) may beintroduced into the bottom ofthe Hue 3 beneath the arch 3". This nozzlepreferably extends axially into the connection 9 and is adapted toreceive gaseous and liquid fuel from the pipes 11, 11", respectively,each having a valve, indicated at 11, 11d, respec-v tively, there beingan injector nozzle 11e within the pipe 11a in operative relation to thelateral branch` extending from said pipe and to which the pipes 11b and11t are connected whereby, if desired, the gas which is supplied throughthe pipe 11 may be used in coperation with either of the fluids suppliedthrough the pipes 11b and 11t and, in the case of oil, assist ininjecting the same.

' The fiues 3 ande andthe chamber 3a are provided with the checker workfilling of refractory material referred to hercinbefore and indicated at2", while the transverse passageway 5 is provided with an outletconnection 13 having a weighted blow-off or pressure-relief valvetherein, the operating handle whereof is indicated at 14.

From the arch laat the bottom of the.fluc 4 there extends an outlet flue15, the discharge end of which projects into a vessel 16, the lower end15 of such flue being sealed by suitable liquid within the receptacle.Projecting upwardly from the outlet flue 15 is a pipe 17 having apressure-relief valve therein similar to the valve in the pipe 13, theoperating handle of the valve being indicated at,17.

From the top of the receptacle 16 and hav-in its inlet end above theliquid therein exten s a pipe18, which communicates with the bottom ofthe scrubbinff tank 19, having a series of transverse, perfbratedpartitions therein with suitable porous material 21 on said partitionsand a spraying nozzle 22 in the upper end thereof above the uppermostpartition and thc material thereon. From this scrubber a pipe 23 extendsinto a tank 24 which may contain a hydrocarbon liquid of one of thehigher or richer series, the pipe 23 being provided with perforations23u beneath the top of the liquid in said tank whereby the gasdischarged from the scrubber may be further enriched. From the enrichingtank 24 a pipe 25 leads to a storage tank or to the point of use. Fromthe front of the furnace 1, there project pipes or connections 26 whichprovide means for apply-` ing pyrometers to the chamber 3 or for theapplication of instruments for estimating the temperature byobservation, as by a color test.

ln operation, gas (artificial or natural) or liquid hydrocarbon (such ascrude or refined y oil) is introduced into the bottom of the flue 3 andchamber 3a, from the pipella or the pipe. 11", respectively. In the caseof gas, the gas will be introduced under the ordinary city or tankpressure; in the case of oil, the fuelwill be pumped or sprayed into thebottom of the chamber; in either case,

the hydrocarbon fuel is mixed with air (or steam, as may be desired)Where air is used it is preferably supplied through the pipe 9a. Thismixture of hydrocarbon and air, being ignited, burns in contact with therefractory material 2 in the front and rear `llu'es until the desiredtemperature is attained, as indicated by the pyrometers or sight tubes.The products of combustion resulting from this preheating operation willescape through the upper end of the pipe 17, the valve being opened orliftedby its handle 17a for the purpose 'of facilitating the dischargeof such gases.

r 'Lacasse into carbon and hydrogen. In order to en-` rich the gasthus'produced, a liquid hydrocarbon, preferably of heavier gravity thanthat introduced into the bottom of the flue 3 and chamber 3, Will now be sprayed into the chamber 7 through the pipe. 8. This hydrocarbon Willbe partly disassociated in the chamber 7, it being noted that thechamber 7 is Within the refractory filler and in suchproximity to theflues 3 and 4 as to bel heated thereby. Some of the solid carbon whichwill be produced will be carried through the generator and deposited inthe trap 16. A large proportion of such solid c,

carbon Will, however, be deposited upon the refractory material 2 andWill be consumed during the next blowing-up or 'preheating' operation,thus utilizing its heat of combustion in the production of the enrichedgas in the generator.

Through the disassociation of the gas introduced through the nozzle 11,hydrogen in a nascent condition will be produced, along with carbonmonoxid. This disassoeiation Will ordinarily occur Within the rsteighteen inches of the vertical movement of the fluids in the chambers3, 3a. 0n the other hand, the hydrocarbon introduced through the pipe 8Will be gradually broken up or disassociated as it descends the chamber7 and traverses the chamber 3a and flue 3. In its passage 'through thefluesy 3 and 4, it will, through the vhigh temperature to which it issubJected in the long refractorylined passageway of the generator, befurther disassociated and combined chemically with the fluid introducedthrough the nozzle 11. The final result of the chemical action in thegenerator under the conditions hereinbefore set forth Will result in theproduction of a fixed gas, having a higher heating I value and requiringfar less oxygenfor its combustion than the fluid Which Was introducedthrough the lnozzle l1. Where natural gas is the gas or fluid fuelintroduced through the nozzle l1 after the preheating' 4operation andWhere crude oils are employed for the liquid fueldischarged into theflue 7 through the pipe 8, there will result, from .the chemical actionwhich takes place in the generator under the'influence of the heatretained in the checker Work refractory filling and the heat resultingfrom the combustion of the carbon deposited on such filling, agas thetemperature of 2200o F., will contain approximately 85% hydrogen, 10% ofa gas of the CH4 series and 5% of a gas of the CBI-I6 serie The gas thusproduced in the generator 1 will be conducted through the trap 16,'Whichw1ll trap any solid carbon that may be present and will then beconducted through the scrubbing tank 19 as explained heretofore, and maythen be further enriched, if desirable, by being discharged into andthrough the hydrocarbon'liquid in the enriching tank 24.

This hydrocarbon liquid in the tank 24C may be benzene, naphthalene, orany other volatile hydrocarbon of a sufficiently high series, and theresultant iiuid Will not separate or stratify When stored underpressure.

At the end of the operation, because of the disassociation ofthehydrocarbon supA plied through the nozzle 11 and pipe 8, aconsiderable quantity of solid carbon Will ybe deposited upon therefractory material I tory material 2El eliminates from the gaseous andliquid fuels subjected thereto a large amount of carbon Which is notonly an unnecessary, but an undesirable, constituent of gas employed forcutting and Welding purposes, because such carbon requires for itsconsumption a large amount of oxygen, and this oxygen is not oxygenpresent as an in- .gredient of the air but is the commercially pure andexpensive oxygen employed in the cutting and Welding art. y

Where oil is employedin place of natural gas, it will be introducedthrough the pipe 8 and, tin its transit through the generator, will beconverted into a gas having the same proportions of h drogen as beforebut With no gas of the C 4 series, the resultant gas, according to thetemperature in the generator, containing from 85% to 98% hydrogen andfrom 15% to 2% of a gas of the Cid-l6 series. A

In actual practice, I have supplied one barrel (fifty gallons) of yfortygravity oil per hour through the pipe 8, and have supplied natural gasto the generator at the rate of thirty cubic feet per minute and as aresult have produced the gaseous fuel carbo-hydrogen at the rate of onehundred 'and sixty cub1c feet per minute.

`methane and the vapors of a liquid hydro-.

carbon to a temperature not materially less which, when the lining is atsubstantially than 2200 F., whereby said gas and vapors 130 aredisassociated, and removing from such disassociated fiuids a relativelyhigh proportion of the carbon content, whereby a gas of high heatingefficiency and of low carbon content will be produced.

2. The process of producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel which comprisessubjecting methane to a temperature not materially less than 2200o F.,thereby to break up or disassociate the same, introducing into theresultant gaseous product the vapors of a liquid hydro-carbon, andpassing the resultant mixture in contact with refractory material heatedto a temperature of not materially less than 22000 F., whereby a gas ofhigh heating efliciency and low carbon content will be produced.

3. The process of producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel which comprisessubjecting methane to a temperature suiicient t0 break up the moleculesthereof, introducing into the resultant gaseous product the heatedvapors of a liquid hydro-carbon, and bringing the temperature of theresultant mixture to. a point not materially less than 2200o F., wherebya gas is produced of higher heating value and of lowerl carbon contentthan the original hydro-carbon liuids.

4. The process of producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, which comprlsessupplying methane and a second hydro-carbon fluid differing in carboncontent therefrom through an elongated duct containing refractorymaterial heated to a temperature of not mahigher heating value and oflower carbon content than the original fluids will be produced. v

5. The processof producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, which comprisessupplying methane to one end of an elongated flue having refractorymaterial therewithin, heated toa temperature of not materially less than2200 F., supplying to an intermediate" portion of said iiue the fluidsresulting from the heating of a liquid hydro-carbon, and conducting themixture of fluids through said flue.

6. The process of producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, which comprisesheating methane to a temperature sufficient to disassociate the same,adding to the gases thus produced a liquid hydro-carbon, and subjectingthe resultant mixture to a temperature not materially less than 2200 F.Y

E7. The process of producing gaseous hydrocarbon fuel which comprisesheating methane to a temperature sufficient to disassociate the same,adding to the gases thus produced. a liquid hydro-carbon, subjecting theresultant mixture to a temperature not materially less than 2200o F.,and impregnating the gas thus obtained with the vapors of a volatileliquid hydro-carbon.

In testimony whereof, I' hereunto aiiix my signature.

JAMESR. Rosa.

